The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has established the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which list the following five elements of physical fitness:
Fitness for the Heart and Respiratory System This is generally measured by your VO2 max. According to Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, professor and head of the Applied Physiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, it's your body's capacity to take in and use oxygen, which powers all of your tissues. This capacity is directly linked to your well-being and overall health.
Fitness for the Musculoskeletal System This encompasses power, stamina, and muscle strength.
Adaptability This is your joints' range of motion.
Harmony This is your capacity to maintain your balance and prevent falls.
Quickness This is the speed at which you can move.
The terms "physical activity" (body movement resulting in energy expenditure), "exercise" (planned and controlled physical activity), and "physical fitness" were defined in a widely referenced peer-reviewed research paper from 1985. According to the study, physical fitness is a collection of qualities that people possess or develop that indicate their ability to perform daily tasks with energy and alertness without experiencing undue exhaustion. According to that paper, other factors that can be used to quantify fitness include body composition, flexibility, muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and muscular endurance.
According to Dr. Smith-Ryan, fitness translates to function in the actual world. Is it possible, for instance, to carry your groceries or climb stairs without tiring? Can you and your children run in the backyard? Are you able to ascend the stairs?
Exercise is different from fitness because it's something you do to improve your fitness level.
Fitness Types
Fitness consists of a few key elements, each of which is crucial for creating an exercise program that is comprehensive. The ones listed below are those that are part of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which are highlighted by HHS as essential elements of weekly physical activity. (It's important to note that many definitions of fitness also take into account other elements, like the previously stated endurance, muscular endurance, power, speed, balance, and agility.)
Cardiovascular Aerobic Exercise
For this reason, the cornerstone of any fitness regimen is aerobic exercise. According to the American Heart Association, this kind of physical activity, also known as cardio exercise or cardio, raises your heart rate and breathing rate, which enhances your cardiorespiratory fitness.
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines, aerobic exercise includes things like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobic fitness classes (like kickboxing), tennis, dance, yard work, and jumping rope.
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